Now this was a show I knew I couldn’t miss out on. All three bands are great, and any one of them I’d have come to see. All three together? Unmissable.
Bizarrekult
On album I thoroughly enjoy Bizarrekult‘s personable blend of classic second wave black metal and modern sophisticated post-black metal, so making sure I was here early enough to catch them was essential.
Bizarrekult put on a good show that’s satisfying and entertaining. Their music translates well live, with the more nuanced and melodic aspects of the songs coming across remarkably well. In fact, they have an exceedingly good sound for an opening act.
The blackened grooves roll nicely off the stage, and the blast beats are as cold as ice. Some of the riffs cut deep like frozen razors. It’s tasty stuff. The singer has a charismatic presence, and the rest of the band are clearly into what they’re doing too.
Enjoyable stuff, and a great way to start off the evening.
Wormwitch
Wormwitch have been getting ever more primitive and violent with every album, and tonight they are a fearsome prospect. Promoting their stonkingly good self-titled record from this year, Wormwitch are every bit as great live as I was hoping they would be.
Wormwitch explode out of the stage and make one Helluva noise. They’re ferocious, brutal, intense, and very engaging. It’s hard to not move, so I don’t try to resist. There is melody too of course, deployed strategically into the battlefield of lethal blast beats, rhythmic heaviness, and fierce riffs, but this is mostly a set that’s all about the aggression. Wormwitch annihilate.
Bathed in monochrome orange light throughout, the band tear through their set with feral energy. This is black metal that’s raw, dark, and hostile, and it’s gloriously good fun.
It’s over far too quickly, but I loved every minute of it. Wormwitch rule.
Winterfylleth
Unlike the last time I saw Winterfylleth, (in 2023 supporting Stormkeep), I am now properly familiar with Winterfylleth’s epic black metal. Touring for their very strong new record The Imperious Horizon, tonight Winterfylleth play a well-curated set from across their existence. It’s a home town show for them too, marking the end of their UK tour.
Winterfylleth’s keyboard enriched atmospheric black metal is on fine form tonight. The music is potent and the performance strong. Mood-driven, yet aggressive, the songs go down a storm tonight.
The band unleash a blackened wall of sound, layered with keyboards, and punctuated by the very occasional use of soaring cleans. The blast beats are forceful, and the mood-building deep. Old or new, the songs all hit their mark and get a good reaction from the crowd. All are well-rendered live, but I particularly enjoy To the Edge of Tyranny and Mam Tor (The Shivering Mountain),. The band close with the latter, and it brings down the house.
Winterfylleth know their art well, and put in a seamless professional show that’s effortlessly enjoyable. All of the band members deliver the goods, but the passion of the keyboardist in particular, (also of Arð fame), is highly infectious, and worth the price of admission alone.
It’s a great show. Winterfylleth play for over an hour, and I’m a happy bunny after it.
There’s not much else to say, other than that this has been a great night for seeing live black metal.
Wonderbox Metal 
12 thoughts on “Winterfylleth/Wormwitch/Bizarrekult – Rebellion, Manchester – 10/11/24 (Live Review)”